A teething spoon may include a feeding end with a concave, textured surface configured to retain soft food and stimulate a tongue, mouth, or gums of a teething toddler; a base having a base diameter at its greatest extent and at least one aperture capable of receiving a removable tether; a handle coupling the feeding end to the base; and a safety guard adjacent the feeding end that extends perpendicularly. The safety guard may have a perpendicular reach of about 50 mm and may include a first loop and second loop opposite and in plane with the first loop. The first and second loops may allow a cylinder of about 10 mm or about 13 mm to pass through unobstructed. The base may comprise a generally hemispherical structure that enables the teething spoon to be disposed vertically. A slot in the base may be configured to accommodate a removable tether.
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5. A teething spoon comprising:
a feeding end comprising a concave surface;
a base opposite the feeding end, the base having (a) a base diameter, (b) at least one aperture configured to removably receive and retain a tether, and (c) a slot configured to accommodate such a tether when said tether is disposed at least partly within an interior of the base and removably received and retained by the at least one aperture—such that the teething spoon can be disposed vertically on a surface;
a handle coupling the feeding end and the base; and
a safety guard system on the handle, adjacent the feeding end.
16. A teething spoon comprising:
a feeding end comprising a concave surface;
a base opposite the feeding end, the base having a generally hemispherical structure with a base diameter, wherein the generally hemispherical structure has at least one aperture configured to receive and retain a removeable tether and a slot that accommodates such a removable tether when said removable tether is disposed at least partly within an interior of the generally hemispherical structure to enable the teething spoon to be disposed vertically on a surface;
a handle coupling the feeding end and the base; and
a safety guard on the handle, adjacent the feeding end.
1. A teething spoon comprising:
a feeding end comprising a concave surface;
a base opposite the feeding end; the base having a base diameter, at least one aperture configured to receive and retain a removable tether, and a slot configured to accommodate such a removable tether when such a removeable tether is received and retained by the at least one aperture;
a handle coupling the feeding end and the base; and
a safety guard system adjacent the feeding end and comprising at least one open loop, wherein the handle has a longitudinal axis adjacent the safety guard system, the safety guard system extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle and defining a reach when measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
wherein, the base diameter and reach are at least about 50 mm to prevent choking by a user who is teething on the teething spoon, and wherein the at least one open loop is dimensioned to allow unobstructed passage of at least a 10-mm diameter cylinder to prevent pinching or entrapment of a finger of the user.
2. The teething spoon of
4. The teething spoon of
7. The teething spoon of
9. The teething spoon of
10. The teething spoon of
11. The teething spoon of
12. The teething spoon of
14. The teething spoon of
15. The teething spoon of
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This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/893,216, titled “Placemat Anchor and Tether System,” filed on Jun. 4, 2020; which is a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 16/676,365, titled “Placemat Anchor and Tether System,” filed on Nov. 6, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,674,850; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/284,898, titled “Placemat Anchor and Tether System,” filed on Feb. 25, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,470,599; which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/725,169, titled “Placemat Anchor and Tether System,” filed on Aug. 30, 2018, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/655,973, titled “Placement and Tether System,” filed on Apr. 11, 2018. This application incorporates the entire contents of the foregoing applications herein by reference.
Various embodiments relate generally to placemats and placemat systems, and more particularly, to placemats that adhere to a surface and provide additional features suitable for young children and individuals with special needs, including, in some embodiments, a teething spoon.
Young children, particularly infants and toddlers, tend to touch everything they can reach as they develop tactile functionality and explore the world around them. Parents often attempt to provide safe things for their youngster to touch, chew on as they teethe, and generally play with, but often these items end up being dropped or tossed during the initial investigation. In many settings, this can be troublesome for parents as they must constantly pick things up off the ground and return them to the child. In addition, dropped objects can collect and pass germs to the child. Babies and toddlers are also learning how to move their bodies effectively for transportation, but early on, they do not have the coordination to do this smoothly and often tip over or fall when they are trying to reach for something that is out of reach.
Managing young children can be especially challenging for a caregiver when utensils, cups, bowls and other objects within reach of the child are mishandled and accidentally dropped, or, during certain phases of child development, intentionally and repeatedly thrown to the ground. To keep a child occupied, the caregiver may provide toys and other items of interest, which may also end up being dropped or repeatedly tossed to the ground, thus placing demands on the caregiver particularly in social situations, such as in restaurant settings.
The present disclosure relates to a placemat and system allowing for efficient and effective tethering and anchoring of objects to the placemat, as well as improved securement of the placemat to a surface. The design of the placemat allows for efficient, low-cost manufacturing, as well as easy clean-up, storage and transport, among other numerous advantages that may be appreciated from the description that follows. The disclosure further relates to a teething spoon that can be used alone or in conjunction with a placemat and system.
In some embodiments, a teething spoon comprises a feeding end with a concave surface, a base opposite the feeding end, a handle, and a safety guard. The base may have a generally hemispherical structure with a base diameter at its greatest extent, configured to enable the teething spoon to be disposed vertically on a surface. The base may have at least one aperture configured to receive a removable tether. A handle may be configured to couple the feeding end to the base. The safety guard may be configured adjacent the feeding end and extend perpendicular to an axis of the handle. The safety guard may have a perpendicular reach of approximately 50 mm.
In some embodiments, the base diameter is at least about 50 mm. In some embodiments, the base may also include a slot configured to accommodate a removable tether anchored to the at least one aperture from within an interior of the generally hemispherical structure when the teething spoon is disposed vertically.
In some embodiments, a teething spoon comprises a feeding end with a concave surface, a base, a handle, and a safety guard. The handle, base, and safety guard may be configured to facilitate gripping of the teething spoon, by a toddler, at the handle between the base and safety guard. The feeding end may comprise a textured surface with a plurality of protrusions. The textured surface may be configured to stimulate a tongue, mouth, or gums of a teething toddler. In some embodiments, the textured surface may be configured to retain soft food. The handle may couple the feeding end and base. In some embodiments, the handle may have a textured surface.
The base may be configured opposite the feeding end and have a base diameter at its greatest extent. In some embodiments, the base diameter is at least 50 mm. The base may have an aperture configured to removably receive a tether. The base may further comprise a slot configured to accommodate a tether that is removably received by the aperture. In some embodiments, the base may have a generally hemispherical structure, configured to enable the teething spoon to be disposed vertically on a surface.
The safety guard may be disposed adjacent the feeding end and extend perpendicular to an axis of the handle. The safety guard may have a perpendicular reach of approximately 50 mm. In some embodiments, a safety guard includes a first loop and a second loop opposite that is in plane with the first loop. The interiors of the first and second loop may be configured to allow a 10 mm cylinder to pass through unobstructed. The interiors of the loops may be configured to allow a 13 mm cylinder to pass through unobstructed.
In some embodiments, a teething spoon comprises a material suitable for teething by a toddler or child. In some embodiments, a teething spoon may comprise an inner material and an outer material. The outer material may comprise a food-grade silicone having a Shore A durometer of about 65, and the inner material may comprise a material that has a greater hardness than the outer material.
In some embodiments, a teething spoon comprises a feeding end characterized by a concave surface, a base opposite the feeding end, a handle coupling the feeding end and base, and a safety guard that extends perpendicular to a handle axis and has a perpendicular reach. The base may comprise a base diameter at its greatest extent and at least one aperture capable of receiving a removable tether. The base diameter and perpendicular reach may be configured to prevent choking by a toddler who is teething on the teething spoon. In some implementations, the base diameter and perpendicular reach may each be at least approximately 50 mm.
In some embodiments, a system comprises a mat body, a plurality of anchors, an elongated tether, and a teething spoon. The mat body may be characterized by a front side, a back side, and a thickness. Each anchor may have an anchor block having an aperture characterized by an aperture diameter, a suction cup having a sealing surface and an outer surface, and a stem that connects the anchor block to the suction cup. Each anchor may be disposed through the thickness, such that its anchor block is on the front side and its suction cup extends from the back side. The elongated tether may have a first end and a second end. The first end may be configured to removably couple to one of the plurality of anchors, and the second end may be configured to be removably coupled to a base aperture on the teething spoon. The teething spoon may comprise a feeding end with a concave surface; a base opposite the feeding end with a base diameter at its greatest extent and at least one base aperture having a base-aperture diameter; a handle coupling the feeding end and base; and a safety guard adjacent the feeding end that extends perpendicular to an axis of the handle. The safety guard may have a perpendicular reach. At least one of the mat body, the elongated tether, and the teething spoon may comprise a food-grade silicone.
In some embodiments, a base may be configured to enable a teething spoon to be disposed vertically on a surface. In some embodiments, the base may further comprise a slot configured to accommodate an elongated tether that is removably coupled to a teething spoon from an interior of the generally hemispherical structure.
In some embodiments, a system may comprise a mat body, a plurality of anchors, an elongated tether, and a teething spoon. The mat body may be characterized by a front side, a back side, and a thickness. In some embodiments, there may be a lip around the perimeter of the mat body. The mat body may have a receptable formed by a raised boundary. The mat body, the lip, and the receptacle may be constructed from the same material.
Each anchor may comprise an anchor block having an aperture characterized by an aperture diameter, a suction cup having a sealing surface and an outer surface, and a stem that connects the anchor block to the suction cup. Each anchor block may be disposed through the thickness of the mat body, such that its anchor block is on the front side and its suction cup extends from the back side. In some embodiments, at least one anchor may be disposed parallel to a side edge of the mat body and at least one anchor may be disposed at an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees relative to the side edge. In some embodiments, one of the outer surfaces and a wall of an adjacent recess in the thickness may have a textured finish configured to prevent coupling between the outer surface and the wall. In some embodiments, a sealing surface may have a glossy finish configured to facilitate coupling to a substrate adjacent the back side.
The elongated tether may comprise a first end and a second end. In some embodiments, an elongated tether may comprise a carabiner at the first or second end.
The teething spoon may comprise a feeding end having a concave surface, a base opposite the feeding end coupled by a handle, and a safety guard adjacent the feeding end that extends perpendicular to an axis of the handle and has a perpendicular reach. The base may have a base diameter at its greatest extent and at least one base aperture having a base-aperture diameter. In some embodiments, the base diameter and perpendicular reach may each be at least about 50 mm. The base diameter and perpendicular reach may also be configured to prevent chocking by a toddler who is teething on the teething spoon. In some embodiments, a base may comprise a generally hemispherical structure configured to enable a teething spoon to be disposed vertically on a surface. In some embodiments, a base may further comprise a slot that is configured to accommodate an elongated tether when the elongated tether is removably coupled to the base aperture from within an interior of the generally hemispherical structure.
In some embodiments, the first end of the elongated tether may be removably coupled to one of the plurality of anchors, and the second end may be removably coupled to the base aperture. In some embodiments, the first end and second end may be configured to be removably coupled to one of the anchors or to a base aperture, respectively, with a compression fit. In some embodiments, a first end and second end may comprise an anchor terminus. The anchor terminus may be characterized by an anchor diameter, where the anchor diameter is greater than each of the aperture diameter and base-aperture diameter. In some embodiments, the aperture diameter may be approximately 6 mm and the aperture diameter and base-aperture diameter may each be approximately 10 mm.
At least one of the mat, the elongated tether, and the teething spoon may have a Shore A durometer of between about 45 and about 65. In some embodiments, at least one of these may comprise a food-grade silicone.
Described herein is a placemat and tether system that can provide a toddler with both a clean surface for food and toys, and a tether system for anchoring such toys or eating utensils close to the toddler. This system can protect the toddler from germs on a surrounding surface (e.g., a tabletop at a restaurant), and it can prevent tethered toys or utensils from being thrown onto the ground—thereby minimizing germ exposure and distractions to a caregiver who may otherwise need to constantly retrieve toys or utensils that are flung onto the floor or out of reach by the toddler.
This system can, for example, provide benefit for users in a restaurant setting. As another example, a caregiver may use the placemat and tether system to anchor bath toys adjacent a baby bathtub to keep the toys within reach of a baby just learning to grasp objects. As another example, a caregiver for an adult patient suffering from a motor control or movement disorder may use the system to tether eating utensils in a manner that keeps them within the patient's reach, to provide the patient with a more satisfying and independent eating experience.
The placemat 103 provides an easily cleanable front surface 112 and can include one or more receptacles, such as receptacle 115, which can be used for containing food items or other objects. A toy 118, cup 121 or other utensil can be secured to an end of the elongated tether 106 opposite the end that is secured to an anchor 109.
In the embodiments shown in
Front side 201 and back side 202 may comprise a finished surface to impart desired haptics or functionality to placemat 203. In one example, front side 201 comprises a matte finish with a desirable feel and appearance, while back side 202 comprises a glossy finish to improve friction and stick between a surface of back side 202 and a surface of a substrate upon which placemat 203 is placed or secured.
To provide added functionality to placemat 203, one or more receptacles 220 may be formed on front side 201 of placemat 203 and may be defined by a raised boundary 222 extending from a surface of front side 201. Food or other objects may be placed and organized in receptacle(s) 220 for easy reach and access by a user of placemat 203. Although shown as a single oval shape in
In some embodiments, the boundary 222 may correspond to a recess 224 on the back side 202 that reduces the amount of material required in forming boundary 222 and placemat 203 or for providing improved compressibility and flexibility of boundary 222 to facilitate rolling-up and storage of placemat 203.
A lip 230 may be formed around a perimeter of the front side 201 of the placemat 203 to help contain spillage of foods or liquids on a surface of front side 201 during use. Boundary 222 may provide the same function with respect to foods or liquids spilled within the area of receptacle 220. It may be appreciated that the height of boundary 222 as well as lip 230 may be any suitable dimension to sufficiently prevent the spilling of foods or liquids beyond the boundary 222 or lip 230 of placemat 203 while not interfering with rolling-up or storing of the placemat 203 when not in use. In some embodiments, the lip 230 may extend approximately 1 mm to 5 mm above the front-side surface 201; in other embodiments, the lip 230 may extend approximately 1 mm to 3 mm above the front-side surface 201. In some embodiments, the boundary 222 may extend 10 mm to 50 mm above the front-side surface 201; in some embodiments, the boundary 222 may extend 20 mm to 40 mm above the front-side surface 201; in some embodiments, the boundary 222 may extend 30 mm above the front-side surface 201.
In the embodiment shown in
Turning to
The faces 304 may be symmetrical and presented on both sides of anchor body 302, with apertures 312 formed as a through-hole in anchor body 302 communicating from one face 304 to the other face 304 (i.e. one side to the other). A tapered surface 308 (including sloped faces 304) extends from the base 306 of anchor 209B, until reaching an apex 310. A diameter of base 306 is therefore larger than a length of a top edge of the apex 310.
As may be appreciated, by including the smooth tapered surfaces of anchor 209B, the overall design of front side 201 of placemat 203 can provide for a contiguous, smooth surface profile substantially void of crevices, nooks or crannies in which food, liquids or germs can get stuck. Such a design of placemat 203 may facilitate efficient and effective cleaning with a cloth, disinfecting wipe, or other cleaning agent. The apertures 312 may be sized to enable a wipe to be passed through. For example, in some embodiments, the apertures 312 may be between 5 mm and 15 mm, or more preferably, between 5 mm and 10 mm; in some embodiments, the apertures 312 are 6 mm in diameter.
In some embodiments, an anchor may have a similar construction as described above—comprising an anchor block, faces, a base, a tapered surface and an apex—but the anchor may be larger than described and depicted and have two or more apertures. It may be appreciated that anchors having any number of apertures may be combined on a placemat. For example, in the case of a smaller placemat, such as one configured to provide for younger babies, for improved portability, or for smaller surfaces, anchors having only one aperture may be desirable to save space and create a more compact overall placemat design. In the case of a larger placemat, one or more anchors may be provided with two apertures each, to allow for the attachment of more items or toys. Regardless of their number in any given anchor block, aperture(s) 312 are structured to receive an elongated tether, such as the elongated tether 501 that is described with reference to
In some embodiments, suction cup 212B may be provided in a state where a rim 402 edge is in a normally recessed position relative to the back-side surface 202, such that the suction cup 212B will not engage with a surface or substrate upon which placemat 203 is positioned unless there is an external application of force F to the anchor 209B. In other embodiments, the suction cup 212B, including its rim 402, extends slightly below the back-side surface 202, but a force F may still be required to evacuate sufficient air between a surface and the suction cup 212B to create a strong suction force. In some embodiments, the configuration of the suction cup 212B relative to the back-side surface 202 may enable the placemat 203 to lay substantially flat against the substrate to which it is adhered.
In some embodiments, texture is added to either or both of the outer surface 406 and a wall 418 of the recess 415, to prevent the outer surface 406 from sticking to the wall 418. In some such embodiments, the texture comprises molded protrusions, such as the exemplary protrusion 421 (see also
In some embodiments, the sealing surface 403 has a glossy surface to improve the ability of the suction cup 212B to stick to a corresponding substrate. In some embodiments, the back-side surface 202 also has a glossy finish to increase its coefficient of friction relative to common substrates such as table surfaces, window glass, bath tiles, etc. In some embodiments, the suction cup 212B includes an internal recess 424 that enables the suction cup 212B to be pushed closer to a corresponding substrate, such that additional air can be pushed out and a stronger suction created when force F is applied (see
The entire design of placemat 203 may be integrated and comprise a single molded article, including for example anchors 209A and 209B, suction cups 212A and 212B, and receptacle 220. Benefits of this design include a decreased tooling and manufacturing costs arising from a single material, and a single mold and one-step manufacturing process, requiring no additional assembly of components. An example of a suitable manufacturing process for placemat includes compression molding processes.
Suitable materials may include natural rubber, synthetic rubbers or rubber-like materials, and preferably materials capable of being compression molded, as well as being free from chemicals that are potentially harmful to human users, such as BPA, BPS, PVC and phthalates. In one example, placemat 203 may comprise food-grade silicone, and may also be dishwasher safe for easier cleaning and disinfection.
In some embodiments, the material is compressible to facilitate coupling between the elongated tether 106 and the anchor blocks 109 shown in
In some embodiments, the material for the elongated tether 501 is the same as the material for the placemat 203 and anchor block 209B. In some embodiments, this material is a food grade silicone having a Shore A durometer hardness of about 45 to about 65, or more preferably, of about 50 to about 60. In some embodiments, in addition to the anchor terminus 510 being compressible, the aperture 312 may be expandable (e.g., elastic), such that the anchor diameter 513 shrinks and the aperture diameter 315 expands as the elongated tether 501 is secured to the anchor block 209B.
A compressible and elastic material that is safe for human oral contact, such as food-grade silicone, has additional advantages. For example, a tether 501 comprising such material may be suitable for teething by a baby or toddler user. Moreover, compressibility and elasticity may promote development of a user's dexterity, finger strength and fine motor skills as the user manipulates the tether 501 or objects attached thereto.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the elongated tether 501 comprises three retention apertures 525A, 525B and 525C, enabling a user to vary a size of the loop formed when the retention terminus 522 is secured in one of the retention apertures—e.g., a relatively smaller loop is formed when the retention terminus 522 is secured in the retention aperture 525C; and a relatively larger loop is formed when the retention terminus 522 is secured in the retention aperture 525A.
In some embodiments, more or fewer retention apertures may be provided than shown in
As shown in
In
In some embodiments, the elastic section 535 may comprise fewer serpentine winding sections. The elastic sections 535 of elongated tethers 106 and 501 are shown as comprising five back-and-forth half-circular arcs, but a smaller or larger number of back-and-forth half-circular arcs could be provided. By varying the length of the elastic section 535 (e.g., by varying the number of back-and-forth half-circular arcs), a maximum length (or maximum length given a certain amount of force) can be set. For example, in some embodiments, the elongated tether 501 is configured to not exceed 12 inches when subjected to five pounds of stretching force. Such design parameters may be set, in some embodiments, to meet governmental regulations, such as regulations designed to minimize choking or strangulation hazards. In some embodiments, the length of the segments 519, 533 and 530 may also be varied to provide an elongated tether 501 that is longer or shorter or that facilitates the securing of smaller or larger objects. Numerous variations are possible to the design of the elongated tether without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
With the elastic section 535, the elongated tether 501 can provide an expandable zone for objects to be moved around a corresponding placemat 203, and provide a baby or other user physical feedback in response to stretching and pulling motions that can aid in motor-skill development and coordination. Further, the elastic section 535 can absorb some of the stretching and pulling force that is applied to the overall elongated tether 501, which can, in some embodiments further secure a connection between the anchor terminus 510 and an aperture 312 of an anchor block 209B.
In this embodiment, as elastic section 835 is provided and can perform a similar function as the elastic section 535 shown in and described with reference to
The elongated tether 801 may be used to couple a placemat with another object that has a circular compression-fit retention aperture, as do the above-described anchor blocks on an exemplary placemat. For example, in some embodiments, the elongated tether 801 may be used to couple a teething spoon to a placemat, as will be described with reference to
Once an anchor terminus 510 or retention terminus 522 regains its original diameter after being pushed through a corresponding interference-fit aperture, the interference fit is not easily overcome. That is, the elongated tether 501 is not easily pulled from the anchor 209A, nor is it easily disconnected from the cup 121 or other object. Rather, to detach the elongated tether 501 from anchor 209A, a user (such as a caregiver) may need to engage fine dexterity and enough force to massage and manipulate the anchor terminus 510—e.g., by pushing on it at the same time and holding a portion of anchor 209A stable, until the anchor terminus 510 has been compressed down and passed back through aperture 312. Accordingly, with the exemplary design shown in
To further increase security of the above-described attachments, a face 324 of one or more anchors, such as the anchor 209A, may be angled relative to the user's normal position, such that any attempts to pull on tether 501 toward their body or within their zone of reach would be made at an angle relative to an axis of the aperture 312, thereby causing the anchor terminus 510 to be misaligned with that aperture 312 axis. For example, with reference to
Although elongated tether 501 has been described as one example of a suitable means of attachment using anchors 209A and 209B, it may be appreciated that other attachment means compatible with apertures 312 may also be utilized, including rings, straps, etc. In one embodiment, placemat 203 and tether 501 are provided as a placemat system 100; in other embodiments, placemat 203 and tether 501 are provided or sold separately; in still other embodiments, elongated tether 601 may be provided separately or as part of system 100 with placemat 203 and/or tether 501.
Placemat 203, elongated tether 501, as well as the combined system 100 therefore provide numerous advantages, including, for example, reducing the burden and challenges of child care or patient care and promoting child development and safety. For example, careful and supervised use of placemat 203 or its system 100 on a vertical surface, such as attached to a refrigerator door, patio door or window, may promote development of a child's standing and balance, and may keep a child preoccupied and out of the way of active caregivers while they are preparing food or engaging in other tasks. When placemat 203 or system 100 is attached to bathtub wall, tethered bath toys may be kept within reach of the baby, preventing them from floating away.
System 100 comprising placemat 203 and elongated tether 501 can be used in a horizontal application, such as with a high chair. In some embodiments, the retention apertures 525A, 525B and 525C are dimensioned to accommodate a crayon, marker or utensil, without use of the retention terminus 522; that is, in such embodiments, a marker or utensil may be retained by the apertures 525A, 525B and 525C themselves. In some embodiments, spacing between the retention terminus 522 and the retention apertures 525A, 525B and 525C is configured such that a loop may be formed by engaging the retention terminus 522 with one of the retention apertures 525A, 525B or 525C that can accommodate common utensils or toys, such as large, easy-grip toddler utensils, large markers, baby cup handles, etc.
In some embodiments, the front surface 201 of placemat 203 is configured in material and texture to enable the front surface to be an erasable writing surface when used with appropriate markers or other toddler-appropriate writing or drawing implements. That is, in such embodiments, that front surface 201 may be easily washable yet textured to receive and temporarily retain marker ink—thereby providing a writing surface 201 that may occupy toddler users after a meal, which could first be served on the same surface 201.
In some embodiments, the entire teething spoon 901 is made of a soft and/or compliant material that is safe and suitable for teething by a baby or toddler. For example, the material could be a food-grade silicone—and in particular, a food-grade silicone having a Shore A durometer of between about 45 and about 65.
In some embodiments, the feeding end 904 has a bowl-like concave surface 913. The concave surface 913 may be textured, for example, with a plurality of protrusions 916. In some embodiments, such protrusions 916 may be configured to “grip” foods (e.g., apple sauce, yams, other soft foods; peas, corn, other smooth-skinned items that may be prone to rolling off). In some embodiments, such protrusions 916 may be further configured to stimulate the mouth, tongue and gums of a baby or toddler—for example to sooth the gums during teething and to enhance sensory exploration and speech development. In some embodiments, the overall shape and texture (e.g., depth of the bowl-like concave surface 913, the height and number of the protrusions 916) may be configured to limit the amount of food that can be retained by the feeding end 904, to, for example minimize a risk of gagging or choking by a baby or toddler who is learning to feed him or herself.
Turning to
To facilitate gripping by small fingers and to further enhance sensory development, the handle 910 may have a ribbed or otherwise textured surface. As shown in
The teething spoon 901 may include features to prevent choking or gagging. For example, the base 907 can be structured to extend out from the handle, such that it has a base diameter 911 at its greatest extent. In some embodiments, the base diameter 911 is at least 50 mm. In the embodiment shown, the base 907 is a generally hemispherical structure, but other shapes can be employed. Near the feeding end 904, the teething spoon 901 also includes a safety guard 922, which also extends out from the handle 910.
With reference
As depicted in
As depicted in
Although the base 1207 is shown as a generally hemispherical hollow structure, the base 1207 may take other forms in other embodiments. For example, the base 12017 could be circular but flat, with the slot 1216 omitted and the aperture 1210 disposed on a handle 1219. As another example, the base 1207 could include loops or extensions similar to the safety guards 1222. Such loops could extend in two directions, three directions (e.g., forming a tripod-like structure), four dimensions (e.g., forming a cross structure), etc. Such alternative structures may or may not be configured to enable the teething spoon 1201 to be disposed vertically.
While several embodiments have been described with reference to exemplary aspects, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the contemplated scope. For example, various materials could be used; hardness and structure of a teething spoon could be varied; dimensions and proportions could be varied; different structures for a base could be employed; a tether could take various forms; etc. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings provided herein without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the scope not be limited to the particular aspects or embodiments disclosed but include all aspects falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Nelson, Aaron, Packer, Edward, Fynbo, Beth
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